Author's Note: Apologies for the lack of update with this story. There was a sudden death in the family and writing just wasn't at the forefront of my mind at all. So again, I'm sorry for the time in between the last update and this one, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter Eleven
Ain't Kids No More

As the small dinner party began, the atmosphere within the dining room was tense. Tommy, Grace and Martha were aware of the hostility within the room, all except Michael who seemed to be thriving off the tenseness of the whole situation. He was oblivious to the fact that the inhabitants of the room were all uncomfortable with how nonchalant and weird the entire affair was. Tommy kept an eye on Michael, taking not of the amount of whiskey he consumed. He, himself, liked to drink a lot, but Michael was on a whole other level and it worried him.

He was aware of how Michael behaved when he had too much alcohol in his system for he had seen the anger burned onto Martha's body. It took Tommy every ounce of himself to stop himself from grabbing Michael by the throat and inflicting the same pain he aimed at Martha. Tommy was aware of Martha's attention on him, and with a few stolen glances, he was able to see the fear radiating from her. Something did not feel right, he felt it immediately, Martha could feel it too, and no doubt Grace could sense something. As Grace and Martha talked in hushed tones, Tommy focused his attention on Michael as he ranted.

"There isn't a better feeling in the world than saving someone, Tommy," Michael spoke, pointing his fork at Tommy. The mere action from the doctor angered Tommy and he sneered slightly as his gaze focused in on the fork aimed towards him. He flicked his gaze back to Michael acknowledging that the man did not understand that Tommy did not appreciate it.

"I bet," Tommy commented. Michael resumed cutting up his food.

"You know, I never thought that I would have someone from such a place here in my house," Michael said.

"What do you mean by that?" Tommy raised an eyebrow, not liking how Michael had phrased his comment.

"Oh, you know… your kind," Michael answered. "Billy told me that you like to get in trouble a lot with people. Told me not to have you in my house as you may steal something."

Tommy bit his tongue, and he flicked his eyes over to Martha as he moved in his seat. Martha was staring at Michael with disbelief written all over her face. Their eyes met and she shook her head as she noticed his fist tighten together.

"Well…" Tommy began. "Billy Kimber ain't a friend of mine. He doesn't have anything good to say about me. And probably you as well."

"Anyway," Michael said, changing the subject. "How long have you and Martha known each other?"

"All my life," Tommy said, smiling slightly. "We grew up together."

"Have you ever laid with her?" Michael's question caught Tommy off guard.

"Pardon?" Tommy asked, noting the change in Michael's volume. His voice was low and controlled, something that Tommy did not like.

Michael rolled his eyes. "Have you ever been intimate with her? A year of courting, five months of being engaged and I've not been able to be intimate with her. A man has needs, you know."

Tommy watched Michael for a moment. Michael gulped the rest of his whiskey down unaware of Tommy's narrowing gaze. "Aye," he said quietly.

"She just… doesn't realise what she has."

"Well maybe you don't," Tommy commented. Michael's eyes rested on him. Tommy took a sip of his drink knowing that the conversation could go two ways. Friendly banter, or a confrontation.

"Excuse me?" Michael said sternly.

Tommy placed his glass down on the table and leaned forward. "I said… Maybe you don't realise what you have. Sometimes it's a good thing to wait. She's a woman who is in charge of her own body."

"I'm a man," Michael said simply. "I have needs. When a woman doesn't fill those needs, a man finds a woman who will. She doesn't know that I find it elsewhere. I'll let you into a little secret… her and Mary went out for the day and Billy and I… well, let's just say, it got a little wild."

"And that night, you beat her."

Tommy was aware of the attention on him. The sentence hung in the air for all to hear, and he mentally kicked himself for raising his voice enough for Martha and Grace to hear. He sensed a change in Michael's body language, but he focused in on Martha's reaction.

"What did you just say?" Michael seethed as he stood from the table.

"You know what I just said," Tommy replied. "Why did you beat her?"

"What happens between me and her doesn't concern you," Michael said angrily.

"It does concern me when you're shagging other women, possibly in the same bed she shares with you," Tommy said, watching as Michael quickly lost his composure.

Martha stood from the table and left the room quickly. It took everything within him to not follow after her.

"I'm going to be honest right now," Michael commented, breathing in deeply. "I didn't invite you here tonight out of the goodness of my heart. In fact, spending time with you was the last thing I wanted to happen because frankly, I cannot stand you. You were seen. You and Martha… kissing… down the side street. Now… I don't appreciate that."

A chuckle escaped Tommy which did not bode well with Michael. Grace watched from afar as the scene unfolded in front of her. Michael charged towards Tommy and punched him in the head. Tommy stood abruptly from his chair enough for the chair to be upturned, and shielded himself from Michael's fists. Grace stood from her seat and grabbed her bag, conscious of the fact that her gun was in the small bag. As she pulled the gun from her bag, the door to the dining room opened and she turned to see Martha stood in the doorway.

"Michael!" Martha screamed, making her way into the room and over to the two men.

As she neared them both, Michael lashed out, knocking Martha to the ground. This seemed to anger Tommy even more and before he knew it, Michael was on the ground with Tommy on top of him, hands clamped around his throat.

Grace rushed to Martha's side. Blood dripped excessively from the woman's nose and onto the wooden floor. Grace helped her up from the floor and Martha nodded gratefully towards the woman. Martha was aware of the blood dripping down her face and into the fabric of her dress, staining and ruining the delicate fabric.

She watched as Tommy beat Michael senseless for a few moments before she moved silently towards Tommy. She laid a hand on Tommy's shoulder. He immediately froze and stopped pummelling the man. A laugh erupted from Michael and they chose to ignore it.

"That all you got?" Michael sneered at Tommy, wanting a reaction from the man. "This whore has you under her thumb, hasn't she?!"

Martha turned around to stare at Michael as he struggled to get up from the floor. "I don't understand you. I don't understand this. What did you want to prove from this?"

"I wanted to see it for myself," Michael said. "Billy told me everything about you and him."

"Billy doesn't know anything about me or him," Martha said, motioning towards Tommy. "And even if he did, it's not any of yours or his business."

"I wanted to know if you were a whore."

"You throw that word around as though it means nothing, and I am sick of it," Martha said bitterly. "You call me a whore over anything. That's not you. You were never like this before we moved here. Why? What changed?"

"You did," Michael said simply.

"I changed? I do not think so, Michael," Martha replied, shaking her head.

The room was silent for a few moments. Tommy glanced at his hands and at the broken skin of his knuckles. Blood soaked the crevices and scars on his hands.

"I do not love you," Martha said, quietly. "I tried to love you. I really did. But I cannot lie to you nor can I lie to myself."

Michael nodded, almost expecting her to tell him that. He always knew she did not love him the way he wanted her to.

"Tommy and I… we were in love, and engaged, and ready to start our lives together. I believed him to be dead. For years, I was made to believe he had died in the war. And that evening, at Billy's party, when I saw him again, I couldn't believe it. And I cannot lie to you anymore. You deserve to know. He's the man who I love with all of my heart," Martha whispered, her voice shaking. "I'm leaving with him tonight. I am so sorry."

Martha took a step away from Michael and moved towards Tommy.

"Billy told me you offered yourself on a plate for every man on your street," Michael's voice filled the room.

"What else did Billy tell you?" Martha's voice was strong, and she was surprised that she had it within her.

"That you're diseased," Michael seethed.

"You're hurt, I understand," Martha said. "But your words and allegations mean nothing to me. They cannot hurt me anymore."

"I hope you enjoy the whore," Michael directed his attention onto Tommy who stared straight at him. "I bet she'll open her legs for you like that," he clicked his fingers and chuckled.

Tommy went to charge towards Michael but Martha stopped him with a hand on his arm. She slipped the engagement ring from her finger and placed it on the dining table.

"I hope you well in life, Michael," Martha said, taking a step towards him. "I hope you find a lovely woman who can love you with every ounce of her being. But promise me something, do not hurt her."

Michael gave a short nod. Martha nodded too, and moved towards Tommy and Grace. As they walked towards the door, Martha could not wait to leave behind everything that had happened in the past.

Except when a gunshot rang out, her entire world turned upside down.